Steve Carell Attached To Star In Moneyball Director's Next Project

Prepare to hear the name "Bennett Miller" at least once a week for the rest of the year. Thanks to the critical and box office success of Moneyball, Miller has established himself as an early, strong contender for this year's Oscar race. But the filmmaker isn't just bathing in the glow of victory; he's already in pre-production for his next project and a report suggests that he has found his new leading man.

Steve Carell is now attached to star in Foxcatcher, according to Variety. The film is based on the true story of John du Pont, the heir to the duPont chemical company, who in 1996 shot and killed Olympic wrestler David Schultz on his private estate. Following the shooting, du Pont locked himself in his estate and spent two days negotiating with police. The name of the project is derived from Team Foxcatcher, duPont's wrestling training facility. Miller has been developing the project for the past four years, with E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman writing the script (the pair also wrote the screenplay for Miller's Capote). Production on the film is scheduled to begin in March.

Now that Carell's tenure on The Office is complete, is next few years are going to be formative in the future of his career. He's attached to comedies like Seeking A Friend At The End Of The World, Great Hope Springs and Burt Wonderstone, but this project should be perfect for stretching his dramatic muscle. After seeing what Miller was able to do with Jonah Hill in Moneyball, this could be fantastic.